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Going to miss Canada

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Filed: IR-1/CR-1 Visa Country: Canada
Timeline

I hope you get to live in Canada one day with your wife. Sounds like you two are a perfect match and she has really supported you throughout this year and vice versa.

I hope one day maybe me and the husband can live in Canada. The only problem is he has had a kidney transplant and he has to take medication daily for his weakened immune system so that may disqualify him immediately at the medical.

Texas Service Centre

Consulate: Montreal, Canada

02/14/13: Got Married

USCIS

10/16/13: i-130 Sent

10/25/13: NOA1

03/05/14: NOA2

NVC

03/11/14: NVC Received Case

04/10/14: Case Number and IIN Assigned

04/15/14: 4:07 PM: Received email from NVC that AOS Fee was ready to be paid

04/15/14: 4:28 PM: Received email from NVC containing Case number and IIN

04/15/14: DS-261 Available and Completed

04/15/14: AOS Fee Available and Paid

04/18/14: AOS Fee Shows PAID

04/18/14: EP ENROLL Email Sent (Received AutoReply)

04/21/14: IV Fee Invoiced

04/22/14: 4:23 PM: Received email from NVC that IV Fee was ready to be paid

04/24/14: IV Fee Available and Paid

04/25/14: IV Fee Withdrawn From Bank Account

05/02/14: IV Fee still "In Process" called NVC for supervisor to fix it

05/07/14: IV Fee Shows PAID

05/07/14: DS-260 Available and Completed

05/21/14: 10:29 AM: EP ENROLL Acceptance Email Received

05/28/14: AOS Package Emailed to NVC (Received AutoReply)

xx/xx/14: IV Package Emailed to NVC

xx/xx/14: Case Complete

xx/xx/14: Interview Scheduled

xx/xx/14: Schedule Medical

xx/xx/14: NVC Shipped Case to Consulate

xx/xx/14: Medical Complete

xx/xx/14: Interview at Consulate

xx/xx/14: Visa in Hand

xx/xx/14: POE

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Thank you, and ah I'm sorry to hear that. That just seems so silly though! They shouldn't automatically disqualify someone because of their health issues, if you are in a legitimate marriage it should be obvious that he's not just solely going up there for the medical benefits.

AOS:

Green Card Received in 168 Days

ROC

06/17/2016: ROC Mailed via USPS Express in Large Flate-Rate Box to Vermont Service Center (P.O. Box)

06/18/2016: ROC Delivered by USPS

06/22/2016: Check Cashed

06/24/2016: NOA1 Received Dated 06/20/2016

07/09/2016: ASC Appointment Notice Received Dated 07/02/2016 & Scheduled 07/21/2016

07/21/2016: Biometrics Successfully Completed (Birmingham)

05/18/2017: InfoPass Appointment - 1-Year Extension Stamp Received

06/06/2017: ROC Approval Letter Received Dated 05/30/2017

06/14/2017: Green Card Delivered!

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Erica - I"m happy you're finally able to get working and you guys have some plans. I know it took a while for you guys to get stuff rolling but I'm so happy for you that is has!

You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself any direction you choose.  - Dr. Seuss

 

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Erica - I"m happy you're finally able to get working and you guys have some plans. I know it took a while for you guys to get stuff rolling but I'm so happy for you that is has!

Ugh thank you!! I'm so happy about it too. It did seem to take forever but hopefully next week I'll get my EAD, head straight to the Social Security office and get an SSN so I can start appying for jobs as soon as possible. I know a couple people that put in a good word for me and their boss told them to tell me to contact them once I have all my stuff in order for any positions they have open still, so fingers crossed! :)

AOS:

Green Card Received in 168 Days

ROC

06/17/2016: ROC Mailed via USPS Express in Large Flate-Rate Box to Vermont Service Center (P.O. Box)

06/18/2016: ROC Delivered by USPS

06/22/2016: Check Cashed

06/24/2016: NOA1 Received Dated 06/20/2016

07/09/2016: ASC Appointment Notice Received Dated 07/02/2016 & Scheduled 07/21/2016

07/21/2016: Biometrics Successfully Completed (Birmingham)

05/18/2017: InfoPass Appointment - 1-Year Extension Stamp Received

06/06/2017: ROC Approval Letter Received Dated 05/30/2017

06/14/2017: Green Card Delivered!

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Filed: IR-1/CR-1 Visa Country: Canada
Timeline

Erica & Lily - you are right about the long distance thing creating an even stronger bond between 2 people. It's not for the faint of heart, that's for sure. I can't begin to imagine living in Alabama as a gay couple,it must be so very challenging.

Portland is a GREAT city, I'm sure you guys will be so happy there and you must be looking so forward to relocating there!

I shall miss the west coast & BC too, I've lived here all my life (last 20 years in Kelowna) and all my family are in Vancouver. I keep reminding myself it's only a plane flight away.

NLR - my hubby and I are best friends too, thankfully. That being said, it's going to be important for me to have hobbies and things that I can do without him. He has many that don't include me. I expect to be doing a lot of gardening! LOL

Peace.

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Erica & Lily - you are right about the long distance thing creating an even stronger bond between 2 people. It's not for the faint of heart, that's for sure. I can't begin to imagine living in Alabama as a gay couple,it must be so very challenging.

Portland is a GREAT city, I'm sure you guys will be so happy there and you must be looking so forward to relocating there!

I shall miss the west coast & BC too, I've lived here all my life (last 20 years in Kelowna) and all my family are in Vancouver. I keep reminding myself it's only a plane flight away.

NLR - my hubby and I are best friends too, thankfully. That being said, it's going to be important for me to have hobbies and things that I can do without him. He has many that don't include me. I expect to be doing a lot of gardening! LOL

Peace.

It's more infuriating than anything haha but I'm used to being in Vancouver, which for the most part, is a very progressive and open-minded city. I haven't had any terrible experiences or anything but we definitely do not want to live in the south for any longer than we have to. Confused to why people stay here, tbh. To each their own I guess!

AOS:

Green Card Received in 168 Days

ROC

06/17/2016: ROC Mailed via USPS Express in Large Flate-Rate Box to Vermont Service Center (P.O. Box)

06/18/2016: ROC Delivered by USPS

06/22/2016: Check Cashed

06/24/2016: NOA1 Received Dated 06/20/2016

07/09/2016: ASC Appointment Notice Received Dated 07/02/2016 & Scheduled 07/21/2016

07/21/2016: Biometrics Successfully Completed (Birmingham)

05/18/2017: InfoPass Appointment - 1-Year Extension Stamp Received

06/06/2017: ROC Approval Letter Received Dated 05/30/2017

06/14/2017: Green Card Delivered!

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Thankfully Hubs has no intention of ever moving back to Alabama unless he's transferred there for work. 90% of his family still live in the south.

Just add God bless her heart to every negative statement and yer golden. Lol

You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself any direction you choose.  - Dr. Seuss

 

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Filed: IR-1/CR-1 Visa Country: Canada
Timeline

Not moved yet but I have visited my gf/fiancee and now wife quite a few times. It helps a lot that she lives in California. People there are much more chill, easy going and all about doing their own things. I am not about the fast paced Toronto life so that kind of lifestyle is something I really like.

I think its important to find hobbies and activities to you both enjoy together and something you love doing on your own. We are very active and outdoorsy, so we are always hiking, running, going to the beach etc. I am very much into sports so I already know I will have my own little sports room and once I know people down there, try to join some sports clubs/leagues.

In regards to health care, it really does suck, but if you work for a good company they cover you pretty much 100%. My wife used to work for Apple and she had amazing coverage according to her, now she is finishing her law degree and the law firm she is working at also has coverage. I will add myself to her coverage. I guess health benefits in America when looking for a job is a really big thing. I cant imagine paying $1000's to get medical checkups and whatnot.

I have found that most of Americans know nothing about Canada. To them we are up there and super cold. I am very sarcastic so I just go along with what they say until they realize what I am doing. Also I am sure I am not the only one who noticed this but us Canadians know a ton more about America than some of the Americans (I was talking to an American once and he thought their VP was Sarah Palin)

If you are coming from a big city like Toronto, a remote part of Michigan will be hard to settle into. You can always try moving to a bigger city after you have settled.

People always tell me that visiting and living is completely different. I tell people down in Cali and my friends here that I love it down there but really I haven't lived there for more than 17 days in a row, my trips are only 1-2 weeks long so It will be interesting to see how living there will be different.

USCIS

January 8th 2014 - NOA1

July 10th 2014 - NOA2

NVC

July 17th 2014 - Case shipped to NVC

July 30th 2014 - Case received by NVC

August 13th 2014 - Case number and IIN received by email

August 13th 2014 - DS-261 Form Completed

August 14th 2014 - AOS Fees Invoiced and Paid

September 17th 2014 - IV Fees Invoiced and Paid

September 19th 2014 - DS260 Completed

October 6th 2014 - AOS and IV Packages Received

November 28th 2014 - AOS and IV Checklist (4 items in total. 3 for documents they lost. Called on December 9 and a rep said no checklist for IV....go figure)

December 8th 2014 - Checklist scan date.

December 30th 2014 - Case Compl........NOT. So after not having an interview date yet, I called again on Jan 30th and apparently its in final review with a supervisor.

February 6th 2015 - Case Complete: Supervisor called from NVC to confirm everything has been completed now.

March 27 2015 - Interview Date

March 27 2015 - Approved!

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I've had so many people here ask me questions about Canada that it almost seemed like a scene out of a movie. We went to a BBQ and I literally was drinking beers and playing a Q&A game with everyone and they were genuinely so amazed at some of the things I told them.

This probably is just a southern thing but people always compliment my green hair, my piercings and my gauged ears. Or ask me lots of questions about body modification. In Vancouver, a lot of people walk around like this, so when people first started asking I thought it was weird they were so intrigued by something I view as normal :P

AOS:

Green Card Received in 168 Days

ROC

06/17/2016: ROC Mailed via USPS Express in Large Flate-Rate Box to Vermont Service Center (P.O. Box)

06/18/2016: ROC Delivered by USPS

06/22/2016: Check Cashed

06/24/2016: NOA1 Received Dated 06/20/2016

07/09/2016: ASC Appointment Notice Received Dated 07/02/2016 & Scheduled 07/21/2016

07/21/2016: Biometrics Successfully Completed (Birmingham)

05/18/2017: InfoPass Appointment - 1-Year Extension Stamp Received

06/06/2017: ROC Approval Letter Received Dated 05/30/2017

06/14/2017: Green Card Delivered!

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Filed: IR-1/CR-1 Visa Country: Canada
Timeline

I've had so many people here ask me questions about Canada that it almost seemed like a scene out of a movie. We went to a BBQ and I literally was drinking beers and playing a Q&A game with everyone and they were genuinely so amazed at some of the things I told them.

I have a friend who dated a guy who was going to Texas A&M when we were in high school. We were in small town Ontario. When she went down for a convention at the university, one of her boyfriend's buddies kept asking her where her pet moose was.

My friend is a good actress, who can cry on command, so she turned to him with eyes full of tears and said in a heartbroken tone "He died last week and it was awful!"

The guy bought her plushies all weekend.

Met in 2010 on a forum for a mutual interest. Became friends.
2011: Realized we needed to evaluate our status as friends when we realized we were talking about raising children together.

2011/2012: Decided we were a couple sometime in, but no possibility of being together due to being same sex couple.

June 26, 2013: DOMA overturned. American married couples ALL have the same federal rights at last! We can be a family!

June-September, 2013: Discussion about being together begins.

November 13, 2013: Meet in person to see if this could work. It's perfect. We plan to elope to Boston, MA.

March 13, 2014 Married!

May 9, 2014: Petition mailed to USCIS

May 12, 2014: NOA1.
October 27, 2014: NOA2. (5 months, 2 weeks, 1 day after NOA1)
October 31, 2014: USCIS ships file to NVC (five days after NOA2) Happy Halloween for us!

November 18, 2014: NVC receives our case (22 days after NOA2)

December 17, 2014: NVC generates case number (50 days after NOA2)

December 19, 2014: Receive AOS bill, DS-261. Submit DS-261 (52 days after NOA2)

December 20, 2014: Pay AOS Fee

January 7, 2015: Receive, pay IV Fee

January 10, 2015: Complete DS-260

January 11, 2015: Send AOS package and Civil Documents
March 23, 2015: Case Complete at NVC. (70 days from when they received docs to CC)

May 6, 2015: Interview at Montréal APPROVED!

May 11, 2015: Visa in hand! One year less one day from NOA1.

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LOL oh my god, that's ace.

AOS:

Green Card Received in 168 Days

ROC

06/17/2016: ROC Mailed via USPS Express in Large Flate-Rate Box to Vermont Service Center (P.O. Box)

06/18/2016: ROC Delivered by USPS

06/22/2016: Check Cashed

06/24/2016: NOA1 Received Dated 06/20/2016

07/09/2016: ASC Appointment Notice Received Dated 07/02/2016 & Scheduled 07/21/2016

07/21/2016: Biometrics Successfully Completed (Birmingham)

05/18/2017: InfoPass Appointment - 1-Year Extension Stamp Received

06/06/2017: ROC Approval Letter Received Dated 05/30/2017

06/14/2017: Green Card Delivered!

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Filed: IR-1/CR-1 Visa Country: Canada
Timeline

Hillarious!! And NotATailor, I am reminded of the reason Bob and Doug MacKenzie had that map behind them in their show. My husband remembers using a geography textbook that had all the states delinieated, and Canada was just a great white expanse.

Woo koo koo koo koo koo koo!!

:rolleyes:

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Filed: Citizen (pnd) Country: Canada
Timeline

Healthcare and family are the big ones.

I've never worried about going to the doctor, and the most I've paid is $10 for a sick note, or $13 for parking at the hospital. It's going to be a huge adjustment. I don't even understand how they think their system is better, it makes no sense to me. Talking to several people in the US, I would have ended up with a c-section because it was more than 24 hours from when my water broke, here no one even mentioned it. I'm really dreading the changes in the healthcare system. It's all profit driven and not people driven, it makes me sick.

Started dating (online) June 2007

Met November 2007

Engaged August 2008

Married January 2009

He moved to Canada May 2009

Had a baby December 2011

USCIS

Mailed I-130 form-12/28/2013

Cheque cashed- 1/10/2014

NOA1- 1/15/2014

Priority date- 1/07/2014

Email saying our address was changed (we did not change it) 7/4/2014

NOA2-7/7/2014

NVC

NVC Received Case- 7/28/2014

Case number and IIN- 8/11/2014

DS-261 Completed- 8/11/2014

AOS Invoiced- 8/12/2014

AOS Paid- 8/18/2014

AOS and IV packages sent to NVC (EP) 9/12/2014

AOS Scan Date 9/12/2014 or 9/15/2014 (depending on the agent)

IV Scan Date 9/12/2014 or 9/16/2014 (depending on the agent)

DS-261 Accepted and IV Invoice- 9/19/2014 (One week after the price increase :ranting: )

IV fee paid 10/02/2014

DS-260 completed-10/03/2014

CASE COMPLETE- 11/06/2014

Medical- 12/9/2014

Interview- 12/18/2014-APPROVED!

Passport picked up from Embassy by Loomis- 12/19/2014

Passport ready for pick up at Loomis office in Ottawa- 12/22/2014

POE (easy peasy) - 1/3/2015

SS Card Arrived 1/14/2015

Green Card Arrived- 1/31/2015

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Filed: IR-1/CR-1 Visa Country: Canada
Timeline

Healthcare and family are the big ones.

I've never worried about going to the doctor, and the most I've paid is $10 for a sick note, or $13 for parking at the hospital. It's going to be a huge adjustment. I don't even understand how they think their system is better, it makes no sense to me. Talking to several people in the US, I would have ended up with a c-section because it was more than 24 hours from when my water broke, here no one even mentioned it. I'm really dreading the changes in the healthcare system. It's all profit driven and not people driven, it makes me sick.

I completely agree with you. I don't understand how it is justified to pay thousands of dollars for healthcare. It should be a right not a privilege. It makes me sick just thinking about how many people go without basic health care because they can't afford to go to the doctor regularly. The USA is not a third world country why are its residents being treated like one. Sorry end rant now.

Also I'm worried about how I'm going to be able to afford to get a prescription for/ get birth control when I move there.

Texas Service Centre

Consulate: Montreal, Canada

02/14/13: Got Married

USCIS

10/16/13: i-130 Sent

10/25/13: NOA1

03/05/14: NOA2

NVC

03/11/14: NVC Received Case

04/10/14: Case Number and IIN Assigned

04/15/14: 4:07 PM: Received email from NVC that AOS Fee was ready to be paid

04/15/14: 4:28 PM: Received email from NVC containing Case number and IIN

04/15/14: DS-261 Available and Completed

04/15/14: AOS Fee Available and Paid

04/18/14: AOS Fee Shows PAID

04/18/14: EP ENROLL Email Sent (Received AutoReply)

04/21/14: IV Fee Invoiced

04/22/14: 4:23 PM: Received email from NVC that IV Fee was ready to be paid

04/24/14: IV Fee Available and Paid

04/25/14: IV Fee Withdrawn From Bank Account

05/02/14: IV Fee still "In Process" called NVC for supervisor to fix it

05/07/14: IV Fee Shows PAID

05/07/14: DS-260 Available and Completed

05/21/14: 10:29 AM: EP ENROLL Acceptance Email Received

05/28/14: AOS Package Emailed to NVC (Received AutoReply)

xx/xx/14: IV Package Emailed to NVC

xx/xx/14: Case Complete

xx/xx/14: Interview Scheduled

xx/xx/14: Schedule Medical

xx/xx/14: NVC Shipped Case to Consulate

xx/xx/14: Medical Complete

xx/xx/14: Interview at Consulate

xx/xx/14: Visa in Hand

xx/xx/14: POE

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I completely agree with you. I don't understand how it is justified to pay thousands of dollars for healthcare. It should be a right not a privilege. It makes me sick just thinking about how many people go without basic health care because they can't afford to go to the doctor regularly. The USA is not a third world country why are its residents being treated like one. Sorry end rant now.

Also I'm worried about how I'm going to be able to afford to get a prescription for/ get birth control when I move there.

Just ranted to my parents about this on the phone today haha, drives me crazy, even though I will have 'healthcare' once I finally get my application stuff figured out...it really doesn't help me any..I still have to pay to go to the doctor/get a prescription.. all it does is make me not go crazy in debt if I .. get in a car accident..etc.. something that will cost thousands. Nothing like I am used to..going to the Dr for free, paying barely anything at the dentist. We aren't planning to have kids for a few years but it worries me if something happened and we had an unplanned pregnancy.. it costs so much! I took as many packs of birth control as I could before I left, and have 4 more left in my year prescription and am hoping if I call the clinic where I get my pills, my Mom will be able to mail them to me. After that I plan on just going to Planned Parenthood here & seeing what the options are.

11/09/2016 - i-751 sent

11/14/2016 - NOA1

12/08/2016 - Biometrics

06/04/2018 - i-751 approved

 

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